Vehicle-signal.



C. A. SWITZER.

VEHICLE SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED ^Pn.1.1913.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. SWITZEB., F PASADENA, CALIFORNIA. ASSIGNOB, BY IJLBECT AND MESNE l ASSIGNMENTS, T0 SAFETY AUTO SIGNAL COMPANY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

VEHICLE-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

Application sied April 7, 191s. serial No. 759,534.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, CHARLES A. Suf'rrzen, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Vehicle-Signal, of which the following is a specification.

'lhis invention relates to vehicle signals for indicating the direction the vehicle is about to take or toindicate whether it is about to stop, and has for its ob3ect to pro- 'duce a simple device ofv compact structure,

' Figfisfanfenlarged vertical section on line .1x3-4v', Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of what is shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional viewthrough the controlling box. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the controlling box. Fig. 7 is a'view similar to Fig. 5, showing the follower extended.

The signal comprises a box 1 having 'four sides 2, 3, 4 and 5, which respectively carry the signs Number Left Stop and This box is Vpreferably hollow with transparent sides and with an electric light 6 inside, to illuminate the signal in the dark.l The box is rotatably supported in a bracket^7 which may be secured at any con venient point, as for example, the back of vthe nautomobile, as shown in Figs-1 und 2.

A shaft 8 extends fromv one end of the box 1 and attached thereto is a coil .sprin 9, the outer` end of spring Qbeingsecur to an ann 10 on the bracket 7. vA stop 11 projects in the opposite direction from the box and is adapted tostrike a pin 12 on Athe flame 7 to vhold the box in'nor-mal position, thespring fnctigg totnrn the box the arrow, Fig.

4, and .hold/Stop 11* `gainst the pin 12,as

Fig..2 isza side elevationv Carried by the shaft 8 is a pulley 13 on which is wound a cable 14 which extends over suitable idlers 15 to another pulley 16 on the lower end of a tubular sleeve 17 which extends along the steering post 18. As shown in Fig. 5, the tubular sleeve 17 is slotted at 19 and receives a shaft 20 having a pin 21 which lies in slot 19. At the upper end of shaft is a handle 22. Secured to the steering post 18 is a drum 23 which supports a sector 24 having slots 25, 26, 27 und 28, either of which is adapted to receive the handle 22 when the latter is pushed down. Within the drum 23 is a follower 29 which is secured to the shaft 20 and a spring 30 .below the follower 29 serves to hold the same in elevated position as shown in Fig. 5. In one ev d of the drum 23 is an inlet check valve 31 permits the ready inflow of air into the drum. the saine end the drum also has a small orifcefthrough which air is expelled, the valve 31"prevent ing air from passing out at-the check valve.

ln operation the handle 22 will stand in a position normally holding the box 1 sothat it displays the face 2 of the box which contains the number of the automobile. When the driver wishes to turn to the right, he turns handle 22 into position in register with one of the notches in sector 24 which corresponds with the sign containing the word Right thereby` turning shaft 20'and through the medium of-'pulleys 13 and 16, turning the box 1 so that the sign Right is displayed, and as soon as th lever 22 is in y result that the sign is displayedsuiciently long to enable the driver to turn the corner;

As soon as the spring 30 has elevated theshaft 20 tonorxnal position and disengaged arm 32' fromfits slot, the springt) acts to turn the boxback to its normal position. Similarly, inftuming to the left or tosto'p, the driver'turns the lever 22 into the appropriate notch', displaces it and thenlthe de;

vice automatically restores to normal position after a brief time.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A vehicle signal comprising a signal displaying element, means for moving said displaying element to display a signal, ineans forY automatically maintaining said signal stationary in displaying position for adelinite period of time, a spring for restoring said signal displaying element to normal position after it has been so displayed, and means for arresting the restoring action of said spring when said element reaches its normal osition.

2. A revolving signal displaying elient provided with a plurality of signals, means for revolving said element to display any of said signals, means for automatically maintaining said si alv stationary in any displaying position friilr a definite period of time, a spring for restoring said signal displayingelement to normal position after it has been so displayed, and means for arresting the restoring action of said spring when said element reaches its normal position.

3. A rotatable signal displaying element having a plurality of signal displaying surfaces, means for rotating said element to display any of said surfaces, a drum, a follower in said drum, saidfollower being actuated` in one direction by said rotating means, means for locking the signal element against rotation when the follower is so actuated, means for automatically moving the follower inthe other direction back to its initial position to release said signal element, said drum provided with an air inlet for admitting air into the interior of said drum, andan air outlet of less area than the inlet to restrict the escape of air from the drum and to retard the return movement of' the follower to its initiall position to maintain the displaying element in displaying position for a definitev riod of time, and means for returnin said signal element to its normal non-disp aying position whenreleased from said locking means by said follower in `its initial position.

4. A rotatable si al, a displayin lelement having a plura ity of signal disp aying surfaces, spring means for holding said element in' a definite normal position, a shaft on said element, a reel on said sha-ft, a connection wound on said reel, a drum, a =fo`l lower in saiddrum, aspring below the follower, air inlet means in said driii'n, said, drum having an exhaust port of less -capacity than the inlet means, an operating shaft slidable and rotatable .in said drum carrying said follower, apulley carried by said operating shaft, said connection being wound on said latter pulley, an arm for operating said operating shaft` and a sector with notches adapted to receive the o ing arm and allow the same to sli e the operating shaft longitudinally to operate the follower.

5. A rotatable signal, a displaying Velement having a plurality of signal displaying surfaces, spring means for holding said element in a definite normal position, a shaft on said element, a reel onsaidsliaftfaE connection wound on said reel, a drum, a follower in said drum, a sprin below the follower, air inlet means in sai drum, saidl drum having an exhaust port of less capacity than the inlet means, an o rating shaft slidable and rotatable in said drum carrying said follower, a pulley carried by" said operating shaft, said connection being Wound on said latter pulley, an arm for operating said operating shaft, a sector with notches adapted to receive the o rat ing arm and allow the same to sli e the operating shaft longitudinally ,to operate the follower, a sleeve su porting said lat-A ter pulley, means revoliib y supporting said. sleeve, said sleeve bein longitudinally slotted, and a Apin in sai operating shaft engaging the slotted sleeve.

6. A revolving signal displayiii element provided with a plurality of si a a pnl-- ey in axial alinement with sai vplaying element and adapted to rotate there,-

With, a second-pulley, a connecting element extending around said pulleys to cause'them to rotate in synchronism with each other,

a handle adasted to rotate said second piilley and" sai signal displaying element,

'through the medium of said connecting element and said pulleys, to display a signal, and means for automatically restoring said element to normal position after a definite period of time.

7. A device of the character described comprising a signal dis laying element, means for actuating said elbmentto display a signal, means for temporarily maintaining said signal inv displaying position, a drum, a follower in said drum, means for moving said follower in one direction upon the display of a signal, an air inlet in said drum to admit air therein when the follower is so moved, means for moving the follower in the other direction when the signal has been displayed to release the signal element from said temporary display maintaining means, an air outlet in said drum, smaller in dimensions than said inlet, to retard theescape of air from the drum and the releasing movement of said follower, whereby the signal is displayed for a vdefinite interval, and means for returning the signal displaying element to its normal position.

8. A vehicle signal' comprising a signaling member movably mounted on the vehicle, means on the vehicle for. moving said signal to any one of several indicating positions, means for retaining the selected signal in view for a definite interval, and means oerating after said interval for aub tomatica ly restoring the selected signal quickly without appreciably displaying the other signals.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 31st day of March 1913.

CHARLS A. SWITZER.

In presence of- G. T. HAcxLEY, MARTHA M. LANGE. 

